I've often seen photos of GM Benjamin Luna Lema, of Lightning Scientific Arnis, using a stick that appears to be tapered, and with the grip wrapped in some material. I found this interesting, as it would make the stick in question balance and therefore handle more like a sword. Does anyone have any info on this or any other tapered sticks used in FMA?

Thanks,

Dave/TFS

Logged

"And the rapier blades, being so narrow and of so small substance, and made of a very hard temper to fight in private frays... do presently break and so become unprofitable." --Sir John Smythe, 1590

When I first learned with an eskrimador, this is what was used on me. The good thing about it is if one is hit lightly, it doesn't hurt and the instructor can show how fast the hits can come in... with safety. The bad thing about tapered rattan is that it has a tendency to fray over time. This is because the skin has been shaved off thus affecting the basic integrity of the rattan stick.

The grip is a personal preference of the teacher. Any material will do. It can range from tennis grip wrap to various fabric tapes. My instructor experimented with leather to bag to golf gloves. He often cut off the fingers or ends. There doesn't seem to be a right or wrong way.

In addition to the dipping in plasti dip or polyurethane, you can roll the grip end in sand to let to dry for extra grip. Wrapping sandpaper with double sided tape to hold it down is another alternative for the grip end.